


If You Ask Tony Stark For A Hand.......

by Bead



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fix-It, Friendship, M/M, Prosthesis, Tony Is a Good Bro, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-28 00:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5071453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bead/pseuds/Bead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a tumblr post of cryoboyfriendsheadcanons:</p><p> </p><p>  <i>Bucky never having been out of cryo for so long, and his arm starts to rust, so he’s gotta ask Stark for a maintenance kit, but instead, Tony just builds him a whole new arm.</i></p><p>  <i>And this one can feel and doesn’t have that damned red star on its shoulder and can probably shoot missiles out of the fingertips.</i></p><p>  <i>Tony’s smirking and smiling, going on and on about the cool new features, completely unprepared for Bucky’s quiet and heartfelt “Thank you”</i></p><p>  <i>Because yes, Bucky’s old employers made his arm with care, but they didn’t make it just for him, with love and excitement, and for (probably) the first time in his life, Tony Stark is rendered speechless.</i></p><p> </p><p>And awaaaay we go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Ask Tony Stark For A Hand.......

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look, it's my 50th fic posted on AO3 and it's....a completely new fandom for me. And not even a full fic! Um. Oops? 
> 
> And hey, I don't know nothin' 'bout mechanics or physics or cybernetic prosthetics. Don't fuss.
> 
> ETA: THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE ULTRON & CIVIL WAR.

(the scene kinda starts in the middle, sorry/not sorry) 

~~~~~

Tony tapped his fingers on the case in a nervous tattoo. "So I was thinking about my own little prosthetic problem," he transferred his tapping to his arc reactor. "And what a bitch it's been to upgrade and well. The neural interface is actually damn good, so there's no need to..." He made a complicated gesture at Bucky's shoulder. "Rattle around in there, but I *could* add a little more sensitivity on this in with a lot of oh god, you guys are glazing over already." 

"Sorry, Tony, easy on the technobabble. What's the bottom line?" 

"You guys are no fun." Tony realized Bucky was staring at the case unwaveringly, hand clasped loosely over his damaged shoulder. He popped the locks on the case and spun it around. "Based on my experience with the suitcase armors, I figured I could use something like that, make an arm that was light and flexible, but still strong enough to - god, sorry, the joke is right there, I can't help it, pack a punch." He opened the case. "Lighter, more neural sensitivity - there was more there than they were actually letting you use through that plug in your shoulder - and I tweaked a few other things. It won't bite, really...." 

"It's a thing of beauty, Tony," Steve said in a hushed tone. 

"Well, duh! Come on guys," Tony nudged Steve out of the way, picked up the arm and presented it on open palms to Bucky. "Need a hand?" 

"You said it, I can't believe you actually said it." Bucky slumped, face palmed, and shaking his head, picked up the arm, the corners of his mouth twitching. 

"Don't you know by now I _always_ give into temptation, Sargent, especially if it's a bad joke?" 

"Yeah...." Bucky said slowly, not hearing a word Tony said, turning the arm this way and that. He placed it back on the deep blue case and ran his fingers over it, inspecting it. He ran his fingers under one of the plates and looked sharply at Tony.

"Manual release in the same place. No need to change. Think the weight difference will be a problem? I've got a series of weights we can put in to decease back from the old...but I think in the long run...this is going to give you better balance and be less stress on your bones. Ya got microfractures, buddy, which, yeah, make the bones stronger, but I think you're pretty damn lucky you heal fast." 

"I want...I want to try it like this." 

“Okay, cool, I mean it may take some getting used to but the old one must have hurt all the time, man, you should have said.”

“It just always….I thought….you mean this....” 

A kind of furious empathy crossed Tony’s face. “Yeah, no, it didn’t have to hurt. And if this does, I'll fix it until it doesn't.” He visibly pushed his temper away and said more cheerfully, “We'll work, Buckaroo Bonzai, until we've got it right. I'll drive you crazy, everyone knows this." 

"Oh god, the stories I could tell you, Buck. But you've seen how light my armor is, now. And Tasha's? And Clint's arrows?" 

“Yeah. You did all that?" 

"Yeah," Tony shrugged. "I tinker. Can't have you people be weak links, you know." He shuddered elaborately. "The _embarrassment_. Nothing sadder than a superhero going _splat_ because of bad tech. Not on my watch." 

"And I ….I can help you all? The Avengers. Fight?” 

“You don’t have to think about that right now, Buck, ” Steve said softly. 

“Yeah man, and oh my god, I didn't mean to make it sound like a requirement. Jarvis, you're supposed to stop me when I'm being an idiot." 

"Sir, your entire life would grind to a halt." 

"LIES! But you, Barnes, Bucky, hey,no worries, take your time, just be a person again. Get used to your arm, play tennis, swing dance with Cap or hey, darts! Gonna have a lot more fine motor control with this baby, not that it wasn't good before, but now..... C'mon c'mon, please try it. You’re disappointing the bots.” He lowered his voice to a stage whisper. "They're jealous." 

On cue, Dummy trundled over and made a dejected noise, You and Butterfingers looking over his bulk hopefully. 

Bucky laughed, low and rusty, unpracticed at it, and turned to pick up the arm. “You weren’t kidding,” he said quietly, wonder on his face. 

“It’s - as best as Jarvis and I can figure out, and we’re very good - the same weight as your impossibly manly arm.” 

Bucky blushed and then handed it to Tony, who looked, frankly, a little stunned at his expression of trust. 

“Help me get it on?” Bucky unzipped his hoodie, stripping down to a tank top. He had a small, padded sock-like covering on his stump. 

“Honored, honored, but you don’t need help…look…” Tony pressed a button and the arm made a soft whir, and the shoulder portion retracted into the top of the prosthetic. “First, new chafe guard. " He pulled out one of several matte black pieces of fabric, and handed it to Bucky. "The advantage of mine is, well, anti-microbial, because why not, moisture wicking, and will help the arm talk to your brain, using biofeedback from the way your muscles are moving. I made it out of the stuff I make my undersuit out of, plus a tiny bit of cushioning. Stark-improved memory foam. And can you feel the little holes for the...god I hate it say it..." 

"The plug. It's okay." 

Tony blew out a breath. "Yeah, it's just....anyway. For you to get the arm on your….” 

“Stump,” 

“Gotta be a better word.” 

“It is what it is.” 

“Yeah yeah….okay, here’s the thing.” He unpacked a heavy, weighted stand from the case, unfolded it, put the arm in it, and said, “Stand here, straight on, see the guide marks on the inside? Okay....and slide your….stu-arm in until you hit resistance and wait for a double click. It's really quiet...just in case of stealthy. But you guys have good ears, yeah?”

Bucky did just that, and looked at Tony. “Yeah. Now what? Little exposed here.” 

“Patience," Tony said, cajoling, and the two other men gave him flat looks. "Tough room. And? Syncronized side-eye, very impressive. Right, two modes, manual and automatic. Manual, you hit that button right where it used to be. Auto? Wiggle your fingers for me.” 

Bucky wiggled them, giving Tony a very dubious glance. 

“Good good, interface engaged. Now snap four times - don't have to do it loud, just make the motion firmly and clearly, really, the interface will understand the biofeedback- and *don’t* startle..'cause that would suck. This is the cool bit.” 

The moment Bucky snapped for the fourth time, the shoulder piece snaked out of the arm and wrapped around his shoulder, settling into place perfectly. "Well, ain't that a thing," he drawled and smiled at Tony, who rocked on his toes happily, beaming. 

“It’s warm,” Bucky said, a moment later, voice hesitant, wiggled his fingers, clasped his metal hand with his flesh one, then ran it up the interlocking plates.

“Well, yeah, that damn hunk of metal was a heat sink. And oh, geez, flex your fist twice and the stand will disengage. Sorry, about that.”

Bucky slowly drew his arm back and looked at it, flexed it, rolled his shoulders and touched each finger to his thumb over and over, while Tony babbled about scrounging enough vibranium to make the arm, because why make a metal arm that’s gonna vibrate like a bell when it’s hit, and Bucky just let it wash over him.

“It. Tony,” he said softly. “It feels right.” He looked at Steve, who immediately clapped a hand over his mouth and took a shaky breath, his eyes bright. 

Bucky shook his head, his throat tight, unable to find the right words. He spread his (light, warm) hands helplessly and finally just said as earnestly as possible. “Thank you. Thank you, Tony.” 

Tony, for a long moment, stood still, flushed and a little shocked-looking. “Well. Yeah. Pfft.” He swallowed hard and waved his hand carelessly. “Of course. Any friend of Cap’s with a bum arm….” 

“Even so, Tony,” Bucky said softly. “All I wanted was just to clean the old one. This? I could never imagine. Thank you.” 

“Yeah, Tony. I can’t tell you how much….” 

"Oh god, Steve, no, not both of you, he’s supposed to be the snarky one, ouch sincerity,stop stop or I’ll put a rocket launcher on your shoulder, Barnes, so help me….“

Bucky huddled around his arm protectively, trying on a grin. “Cripes, no, that’s just tacky.” 

Tony’s smile broke wide with glee. “I KNOW, RIGHT?” 

~~~~

**Author's Note:**

> Oh god, I keep thinking of things to add, like the way the arm keeps warm, is a teeny tiny arch reactor which is the power cell, but also Bucky will create energy for the thing to run by wearing it, like the Rolex watches that don't need winding, but are kept moving via the wearer's movement. And the little stump socks that are impregnated with hundreds of tiny sensors, helping to act as the severed nerves in his arm. He's also provided some DE sensitizing gloves for when Bucky DOESN'T need to feel how badly it hurts to punch a brick wall. Or maybe that's a another gesture he can use to turn it off and on. Maybe he puts a link to the comm system in his arm, or a secret panel with room for an extra comm unit, a slot for a debit/credit card, and a built in StarkPhone in the wrist. But that's several versions down the line. I CAN"T UN TONY MY BRAIN.


End file.
